Modular garbage collection apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides an apparatus for identifying and sorting part of recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The invention eases the process of sorting recyclable material at the recycle bin to avoid the sorting later in the process. After sorting the material, the recycle bin compresses the bottles or the cans to accommodate more material into the corresponding material compartment. The invention is a modular arrangement allowing ease of replacing any of the three units of the apparatus: compression, classification, and storage.

We claim: 
     
       1. A garbage collecting apparatus comprising:
 a compression unit having: 
 a compression compartment having an input portion and an output portion; 
 a container receiving unit having a receiving inlet receiving at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container and a receiver outlet directing said at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container to the input portion of said compression compartment allowing said at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container to enter said compression compartment; 
 a presence detector sensing the presence of said at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container inside said compression compartment; 
 a material detector determining if a container inside said compression compartment is made of metal or plastic; 
 a perforation element perforating said at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container inside said compression compartment; 
 a compression element compressing said at least one of: a plastic container and a metal container inside said compression compartment; 
 an push element directing said compressed container to the output portion of said compression compartment; 
 a sorting unit having: 
 a classifying element receiving said compressed container from said output portion of said compression compartment; 
 a sorting element configured to direct said compressed container to either a first output or a second output via said classifying element; and a counting arrangement configured to count the amount of compressed containers directed to said first and second output; 
 a collection unit having: 
 a first collection bin receiving a compressed container from said first output; 
 a first full bin detector detecting when said first collection bin is full; 
 a second collection bin receiving a compressed container from said second output; 
 a second full bin detector detecting when said second collection bin is full; and 
 a control unit having: 
 a presence control input receiving a signal from said presence detector; 
 a material control input receiving a signal from said material detector; 
 a counting control input receiving a signal from said counting arrangement when said compressed container is directed to said first and second output; 
 a first full bin control input receiving a signal from said first full bin detector; 
 a second full bin control input receiving a signal from said second full bin detector; 
 a perforation control output configured to actuate said perforation element; 
 a compression control output configured to actuate said compression element; 
 a push control output configured to actuate said push element; and 
 a sorting control output configured to actuate said sorting element. 
 
     
     
       2. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said presence detector comprises a photoelectric sensor. 
     
     
       3. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said material detector comprises an inductive sensor. 
     
     
       4. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said classifying element comprises a flat element structurally coupled to said sorting element, said sorting element comprises a rotary actuator that rotates said classifying element between said first output and said second output. 
     
     
       5. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said classifying element comprises a first flat element configured to direct said compressed container to said first output and a second flat element configured to direct said compressed container to said second output, said sorting element being configured to direct the compressed container received from the output portion of said compression compartment to either the first flat element or the second flat element. 
     
     
       6. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said counting arrangement comprises a first photoelectric sensor in the proximity of said first output and a second photoelectric sensor in the proximity of said second output. 
     
     
       7. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit further comprises an indication control output connected to an indicating element. 
     
     
       8. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said indicating element comprises at least one of: a visual element and an audible element. 
     
     
       9. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an emergency stop mechanism configured to automatically stop operation of the garbage collecting apparatus if a safety sensor is triggered. 
     
     
       10. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit further comprises a network interface configured to transmit data associated to the operation of said garbage collecting apparatus to a remote device. 
     
     
       11. The garbage collecting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said remote device comprises at least one of:
 another garbage collecting apparatus and a remote server.